


Melancholy

by AnnaOnTheMoon



Series: Flufftober [24]
Category: Star Trek: The Next Generation
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Flufftober, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-24
Updated: 2018-10-24
Packaged: 2019-08-06 22:24:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 701
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16396226
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnnaOnTheMoon/pseuds/AnnaOnTheMoon
Summary: Jean-Luc's heart breaks over and over.





	Melancholy

**Author's Note:**

> I cried writing this one.

Jean-Luc had never been a touchy feely kind of person.  His relationships were physical and many a girlfriend had walked out on him when he had refused to tell them he loved them...because he didn’t and he wouldn’t lie.  He enjoyed the sex, but he never made an emotional bond with anyone...until Beverly Howard walked into his life.  She was vibrant, she was beautiful, she was interesting...and she was dating his best friend.  His feelings for her increased the more time they spent together as a threesome, for he was always invited to tag along when they went on shore leave.  Beverly was a very physical woman, and Jean-Luc began to cherish her hugs and kisses she would give him in greeting or parting, or the feel of her pressed against his side sitting on the sofa drinking tea waiting for Jack to come off his shift.  Over the years he fell in love, but he knew he could never tell her.

He watched from his spot next to the groom as the love of his life pledged herself to another.  He felt his heart breaking, even when she kissed him on the cheek and asked him to dance with her as he knew he would never be able to love another the way he loved her.  He returned to his ship after the couple had departed for their honeymoon and turned to a bottle of whisky for companionship that night. 

Jack returned to the ship two weeks later after his honeymoon, with a sprig in his step, and Jean-Luc couldn’t understand how he was able to leave Beverly back on the starbase. Jack beamed with pride as he told his best friend he would be an uncle in eight months when Beverly gave birth to their child.    Jean-Luc had offered his congratulations and a clap on the back, but his smile didn’t reach his eyes.  That night, he opened another bottle of Whisky after sending his congratulations to Beverly and ordering a cashmere layette set for the baby.

When he held the newborn child in his arms, he felt his heart break all over again.  The baby was perfect and beautiful.   He wanted more than anything for this child to be his, and for Beverly to be his wife.  He kissed her and told her the baby was handsome, and of course he would agree to be the godfather, even if he no longer participated in organised religion.  He lifted his glass in his quarters alone that night and toasted the child and his sweet mother. 

Jack volunteered for the away mission that would serve as his last.  It was a dangerous mission, but Jack wouldn’t allow Jean-Luc to go, citing the Captain needed to stay with the ship and that it was his job.  Not even reminding Jack of his responsibilities to Beverly and Wesley would sway him. Jack was determined and entered the airlock with a cheery wave to his best friend and said he would see him later to play poker.   Jack went on the mission, and he came home in a body bag.  Jean-Luc’s heart broke further.  It broke for the loss of his best friend, who he loved as if he were a brother, and his heart broke for the woman he loved and the child who had just lost his father.

When he knocked on Beverly’s quarters a few days later, he wasn’t expecting her reaction to seeing him.  Beverly had pulled him into her quarters, wrapped her arms around him, kissed him, and cried into his chest.  She didn’t let go of him for days, releasing him only for their daily ablutions or to take care of Wesley.  Wesley didn’t understand what was going on.  He kept asking his mother why she was crying and that would set off a new wave of tears as she couldn’t find the words to tell the boy his father was never coming back.

 As Beverly settled against his chest to sleep with a slow kiss pressed against his lips, Jean-Luc couldn’t help but think that as much as he wanted Beverly to be in his arms kissing him, he didn’t like the reason.


End file.
